Competitive Intelligence, commonly called CI, can be defined in three steps: 1) company, industry, and competitor research, 2) careful analysis of the findings of that research, and 3) the distribution of that critical information by an information professional or professionals in a business setting. It is much more than simple "information gathering" - it involves finding, assessing, analyzing, and distributing market and competitor data in such a way that successful business decisions can be made.
CI industry leaders Fuld & Company offer an interesting and enlightening description of what CI is and is not.
CI and Librarianship
Since CI positions pay quite well, with the average salary of a CI executive being $69,000 in 1997 according to The Society for Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), some MLIS librarians are realizing that the skills they have may be transferable to this more lucrative field. CI professionals work in law firms, market research firms, the pharmaceutical industry, health industry, electronics, financial, telecommunications, science and technical industries, and in just about any business setting where knowledge management is critical.
But do the skills learned in today's MLS/MLIS degree programs equip individuals for careers in CI? According to a recent article in CI Magazine, "in competitive intelligence, industry knowledge counts far more than educational or professional background" (CI Certification: Do We Need It?). The article goes on to outline the three skills that a CI professional must have in order to be successful: 1) the ability to collect intelligence from human sources, 2) the ability to synthesize (rather than just analyze) disparate industry developments (see the forest from the trees), and 3) the ability to derive implications, and identify the most appropriate actions, for one's company or client.
Thus, MLS/MLIS librarians most suited to CI work will have an affinity for the business world, basic knowledge of business terminology, and some industry knowledge. Obviously, having some formal business training and even an MBA wouldn't hurt. More and more library schools are recognizing the value of business training for librarians in terms of breaking into new fields such as CI and as a result, are incorporating business courses into their MLS programs. For instance, Dalhousie University is offering a dual MLIS/MBA programme, as is the University of Iowa SLIS.
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